Platycodon (Platycodon grandiflorum A.DC), which has been used as a herbal medicine for respiratory diseases such as the expulsion of discharge, expulsion of sputum, bronchitis, asthma, anti-inflammation, among others, is known to have various medical effects; as many as 273 herbal prescriptions mixed with platycodon are recorded in the Oriental Medicine Handbook, and 49 prescriptions are recorded in the Oriental Medicine Book (Bang-Yak-Hap-Pyun in Korean).
Terpenoid saponins (18 kinds including platyconin A, C, D, D6, polygalasin D, D2, etc.), which produce the major pharmacological effects of platycodon, compose 2% of the root. In trials on animals, Terpenoid saponins has proved to have be effective for hemolysis, local stimulation, suppression of coughs, expulsion of sputum, central nervous suppression activity (tranquilization, analgesic, antipyretic effect), anti-inflammation for acute/chronic inflammation anti-allergy, anti-ulcer, and inhibitory action for gastric juice secretion, anti-cholinergic which lowers blood pressure level by extending the blood vessels, blood glucose level lowing activity, and lipid metabolism improving activity, etc. (Igarashi, K., Sogoigaku, 3, 1(1951) and Lee En Bang, Herbal Medicine Academic Paper, 5, 49(1974)). In addition, steroid compound such as alpha-spinasterol, stigmaste-7-enol, alpha-spinasterolglucosid, etc. and polysaccharide such as inulin, platycodinin and betulin, were separated into single components.
The hot water and methanol extract of platycodon suppress aflatoxin of fungi (Hitokoto, H., Morozumi, S., Wake, T., Kakai, S. and Ueno, L., Mycopathologia, 66, 161(1979)), and inulin fraction is known to have phagocytosis (Nagao, T., Matsuda, H., Nambo, K. and Kubo, M., Shoyakugaku Zasshi, 40, 367(1986)) while inulin, the fructose polymer, is known to have an anti-cancer effect on solid cancer and complicated or complex cancer (Naga, T., Matsuda, H., Makata, K., Namba and Kubo, M., Shoyakugaku Zasshi, 40, 375(1986)).
The recently developed anti-tumor medicine is being applied to clinical experiments. However, although chemotherapeutics shows clinical effects, it is often accompanied by significant side effects. For example, mytomicin C causes a side effect of renal failure, and adryamicin and carbazilquinon causes a side effect of bone marrow suppression. Therefore, it is strongly recommend to have antitumor agents that are safe as well as strong anti-tumor suppression actions for oral administration.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-89427 discloses that the inulin fraction out of the platycodon's 70% methanol extract, has 31-39% and 32-44% suppression effect on complicated cancer and solid cancer of each ICR mice, and when administered in parallel with mytomicin, a chemotherapeutic, it not only suppresses solid cancer by up to 61% but also prevents a decrease in body weight and the number of leucocytes, the side effect of mytomicin. Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-264534 introduces 40% platycodon extract as a material suppressing alcohol absorption.
Currently, over 30 kinds of herbal medicinal products containing platycodon are available on the markets in Korea, China, Japan, etc.; “O-Yak-Soon-Gi-powder”, “Tong-Gi-tablet”, “Soon-Gi-Won”, etc. are used as agents against paralysis, arthritis, etc., “An-Shim-Won” and “Choen-Wang-Bo-Shim-Dan” as agents against high blood pressure, brain disease, etc,. “Ja-Mo” extract as agents against bronchitis, tuberculosis, pleurisy, etc., “Man-Ok-Dan” as agents against high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, etc. Herbal medicines containing platycodon, other than these, are used to cure related bronchus diseases such as asthma, expulsion of sputum, expulsion of discharge, suppression of cough, etc.
Thus far, however, platycodon has been used for the above herbal medicine materials and for experiments using only 2-4 year old plants because their roots become rotten 4-5 years after planting. The 20-year (or older) perennial old platycodon, produced in accordance with the ‘A guide to growing perennial platycodon’ recently patented (No. 45791), is a patent protected herbal medicine, and is not used at all for herbal medicines.
Accordingly, the present inventors have successfully developed its usage as medicines, such as in the form of health food and herbal medicines, by using the superiority of the old platycodon over the 2-4 year old ordinary platycodon in terms of pharmacological effects.